Read more: Plans To Ban ‘Meaty’ Vegan Labels On Hold In Belgium

The country’s top administrative court has now suspended a decree initially issued by France’s government in February to ban the word steak from plant-based meat labeling. (In French, a meat-free burger patty might be described as a “veggie steak”.)

If successful, the decree would have been active from May 1, 2024, just a few weeks away. In addition to the word steak, it included 20 additional terms typically associated with cuts of meat and animal proteins, such as “spare rib,” “ham,” “escalope,” and the phrase “butcher.”

In 2022, France’s administrative court, the Conseil d’État, suspended a similar decree following public pressure exerted by plant-based companies based in France, and due to concerns it was too vague to be practically enforceable – or even legal.

On Wednesday, the state council said once again that there was “a serious doubt over the legality of such a ban,” and that it would remain suspended until the European Union’s Court of Justice could review the decree and rule one way or the other.

Read more: More Than Half Of Europeans Are Cutting Down Meat, Study Finds

France’s ban on meaty words for plant-based foods ‘complete nonsense’

Meat and dairy companies have long complained over the plant-based sector’s use of words traditionally associated with animal products, citing potential confusion for consumers. However, there is little evidence to support this, and critics suggest that removing familiar words like steak, sausage, and burger would actively confuse shoppers.

Belgium recently put a similar ban on hold, and in 2021 the European Parliament voted against a proposal to ban meaty terms from plant-based products. More than half of Europeans are now cutting down on meat amid continent-wide and national pushes towards sustainable, healthy, and equitable food systems via plant-based diets.

Nicholas Schweitzer, CEO of French vegan bacon innovator La Vie previously told Plant Based News (PBN) that any national ban on labels using such words – which would by definition only apply to companies producing foods within France – would be “complete nonsense.”

“This law is going completely in the opposite direction of two official priorities of the French government: the fight against global warming and the reindustrialization of France,” said Schweitzer.

Read more: Meat-Eaters Prefer Not To See Animals On Meat Labels, Research Finds

The post France Just Suspended Its Ban On Words Like ‘Steak’ For Plant Foods appeared first on Plant Based News.

Read more: It Wasn’t The Biggest Year For Plant-Based Meat – But Vegan Milk Is Killing It

Eric Mirbach, a content and brand specialist, wrote on LinkedIn that we must take “emotional stakes” into account “if we want lasting, sustainable change.”

At the start of the post, he stated that many people in the south of the USA drink Coca Cola for breakfast. “It’s traditional, and therefore a part of consumer’s identities,” he explained. “Mothers served their kids coke in the morning — and now these kids have become adults and do it with their kids.”

Read more: Spread Brand Flora Says Dairy Is ‘A Bit Weird’ In New Ad

The post then goes on to explain that there was huge resistance in these states when a new version of Coke was brought out. This, Mirbach says, was because people had an emotional attachment to the original drink that they knew and loved.

“People don’t like change to begin with, but what Coke had done by introducing an improved recipe was challenging some very deeply held feelings: safety, nostalgia, and motherly love.”

He then said that it was the marketing equivalent of “telling people their mother did it wrong.”

Parallels with plant-based food

Mirbach compared this attitude to the attitude towards alternative dairy and protein. Many people have an emotional attachment to animal products, meaning companies should take this account when trying to tempt consumers away from them.

“All founders, marketeers and creatives in this space have to find a way to champion change and make it attractive,” he wrote. “And we have to do it while identifying and respecting the consumer’s deeply held beliefs and feelings.”

Read more: Is Whole Milk Having A Comeback? Nutritionist Warns Against Its ‘Health Benefits’

The post then goes on to state that serving someone a vegan meal could be interpreted as telling them they weren’t raised right, while bringing home a vegan option for Christmas may “tell your mom she didn’t raise you right.”

“The emotional stakes are very high,” he wrote. “If we want lasting, sustainable change, we have to take them into account. Actually, they should be front and center. Because stats won’t do it. Honest, good, human, and relatable communication will.”

Eric Mirbach is the cofounder and managing director of branding, content & venture studio Very Good Looking.

The post ‘Why People Have Coca Cola For Breakfast, And What Alt Dairy Can Learn’ appeared first on Plant Based News.

The brand, which specializes in “meat made from plants,” was founded by the American scientist and businessman Patrick O. Brown, who set out to tackle worsening environmental destruction via its single largest contributor – industrialized animal agriculture.

Impossible Foods has been a prominent part of the plant-based space since 2016, the year it finally launched its flagship Impossible Burger after years of R&D. Complete with a uniquely meaty flavor and appearance, the patty offered a competitive meat-free alternative to beef.

The company said at the time that its Impossible Burger required 95 percent less land and 74 percent less water, and emitted around 87 percent less greenhouse gas (GHGs) during production than a typical patty made with traditional ground beef.

But while the Impossible Burger is made from plants – and is undeniably more sustainable than comparable animal products – some people are still debating whether the brand’s burger patty is truly suitable for vegans. Here’s everything you need to know.

What makes the Impossible Burger unique?

Since 2016, Impossible has sold its patty (both original and 2.0) at stores and restaurants across the US, UK, and around the world, including major chains like Burger King, Starbucks, Applebees, and many more.

The brand has also introduced new products like the Impossible Chicken Nuggets and an Impossible Sausage patty, both launched – like the original burger – after a lengthy R&D process. Ground pork, ground sausage, ground beef, and meatballs are now available, too.

Today, the plant-based meat sector is worth around USD $7 billion, and Impossible Foods has stated that it still receives record overall sales every year. In fact, in 2022, Impossible Foods reported that its retail sales alone grew more than 50 percent.

Impossible Foods has a key ingredient that may well be the secret to its continued success: a proprietary plant-based version of the iron-rich molecule heme, which is thought to give the brand’s patties their beloved taste and authentic pink coloring.

According to the company, heme is what actually makes traditional meat taste like meat, and Impossible’s plant-based version is made via the fermentation of genetically engineered yeast – a uniquely scalable way of producing the flavorsome molecule meat-free.

The scalability of this proprietary heme is at the heart of the company’s mission: to continue making a delicious, sustainable, and commercially viable alternative to animal meat that will still be able to “feed the population in 2050.”

It’s not the realistic taste of the Impossible Burger that is causing debate amongst vegans. But the debate does originate, in a way, with the development and introduction of Impossible’s plant-based heme to the American market.

The Impossible Burger and animal testing

While Impossible’s proprietary plant-based heme is 100 percent free from animal-derived ingredients, it was tested on animals – at least once – in order to gain full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and to be “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS.

In a statement published on Impossible’s website in 2017, former CEO and founder Brown explained the background and reasoning behind the company’s use of animal testing, which came several years after Impossible concluded its own products were safe for consumption. 

Following its approval by a panel of food safety experts, the company provided data on its new heme to the FDA as part of the GRAS Notification Process. When the FDA returned with questions about the data, the company then chose to commission animal testing – which it had avoided thus far – in order to confirm its safety.

The study involved the minimum number of rats necessary for “statistically valid results,” and Impossible Foods says that it carefully chose the most humane company it could find. Overall, Brown notes that viewing animal exploitation holistically, the test was the right call.

“Avoiding the dilemma was not an option,” said Brown at the conclusion of the statement. “We hope we will never have to face such a choice again, but choosing the option that advances the greater good is more important to us than ideological purity.”

Is the Impossible Burger vegan?

By definition, vegans avoid all products that cause or are derived from animal exploitation. This includes milk, dairy, and eggs along with meat and any other animal-derived ingredients. But this ethos also extends to textiles, like leather, and any other products that have been tested on animals, from cosmetics to food ingredients like Impossible’s heme.

With that definition in mind, some people do not regard the Impossible Burger as suitable for a vegan diet. The plant-based heme was tested on laboratory rats, and while Brown says every care was taken to make the trials humane, animal testing of any kind is explicitly a form of exploitation. 

It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that the definition of veganism is avoiding animal exploitation “as far as is possible and practicable.” Many ingredients we eat have impacted animals in some way, and avoiding this is rarely achievable.

Everything from life-saving medicines to diapers to contact lenses may be implicated in animal testing. This means that, at best, vegans simply aim to avoid animal exploitation as much as they can. Some may also argue that the Impossible Burger has saved more animals’ lives than it’s impacted, as its popularity means more people eschewing “real” meat.

There is no clear-cut answer to whether vegans should eat Impossible burgers, and the decision is entirely down to the individual. So, whether you believe that Impossible’s plant-based patty is suitable for vegans or not, the important thing is making the right choice for your lifestyle and beliefs.

Consumers prefer ‘plant-based’ to ‘vegan’

The Impossible Burger has conspicuously never been listed or marketed as a vegan product. In fact, much of the brand’s marketing strategy – and indeed its core mission – is based on persuading omnivores and flexitarians to eat more plant-based foods.

This decision is tactical. Vegans are already eating plant-based and lower-emissions foods, while meat-eaters are still eating traditional animal products and other high-impact ingredients. And plant-based companies must continue to infiltrate the mainstream protein sector to have the biggest overall impact on the protein sector and consumer choices.

A variety of studies have confirmed that non-vegan consumers are less likely to try products labeled with the word vegan, even if they would otherwise consume those same products. Most recently, researchers from the University of Southern California found that adjusting vegan labels to emphasize their benefits – sustainability, and nutrition – could improve uptake.

Another controversial but effective tactic is stocking plant-based products in the meat and dairy aisles, something that various retailers’ consumer research – and a report by the Good Food Institute confirm aids sales, likely by further normalizing alternative proteins.

Impossible Foods is often stocked alongside animal products, and the company has previously estimated that around 95 percent of its customers also regularly eat meat. Whether you eat it or not, perhaps this is the best way to view the Impossible Burger: just a more sustainable variety of meat. That’s what both the brand and its customers want.

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• Company Unveils ‘Revolutionary’ Machine That Makes Vegan Egg Yolks
• ‘Veganism Is Dead’: Say Media Outlets – Does The Data Agree?

The post Is The Impossible Burger Vegan? The Debate Explained appeared first on Plant Based News.

The brand described its “planted.steak” as a first-of-its-kind alternative protein: beef loin-style meat made entirely with plant-based and natural ingredients. The new product was made at a cutting-edge facility in Kemptthal, Switzerland, where “whole muscle” cuts of vegan meat are grown via fermentation.

“Our planted.steak is designed to satisfy even the most discerning palate. It’s a true game changer, not only for us but also for the whole category,” said Planted co-founder Pascal Bieri in a statement.

Planted combined soya protein, rapeseed oil, beans, rice, and a proprietary blend of microbial cultures to create what the company describes as a juicy, tender, and umami-flavored cut of plant-based meat.

Furthermore, the steak is high in protein, fiber, B12, and iron, but low in saturated fats – something that traditional beef can be particularly high in.

“No other plant-based steak on the market uses only natural ingredients, zero additives, and displays features such as juiciness as well as tenderness,” added Bieri. “We have worked with over 50 gastronomy professionals to achieve a steak that is literally unreal, in taste, texture, application, and overall eating experience.”

Planted.steak creates 97 percent fewer CO2e emissions than traditional beef

Planted has noted that its new vegan steak is not simply a culinary innovation, it is also a scalable and sustainable solution to the environmental challenges of meat production.

The fermented planted.steak is said to produce 97 percent fewer CO2e emissions per product weight than its comparable animal-derived counterpart. It also uses around 81 percent less water. One of the main obstacles facing alternative proteins is scalability, which Planted believes its proprietary fermentation and high-tech new facility can help overcome.

“Our aim is to introduce innovative products from our fermentation platform to the market fast, particularly our planted.steak, which utilizes the most advanced and disruptive fermentation technology today in terms of scalability, taste, and product quality,” explained Planted co-founder and executive board member Lukas Böni.

Last year, the Swiss innovation agency Innosuisse awarded Planted 2 million Swiss francs as part of the Swiss Accelerator Program, targeting particularly innovative small and medium-sized startups. This grant allowed Planted to launch its fermented loin steak just one year later, as well as to build the new cutting-edge facility in Kemptthal.

“We are proud to be one of the few innovators of plant-based meat that takes on all steps in the production process, from R&D to industrial production,” adds Böni. “The […] new production site allows Planted a very fast turnaround from pilot stage to industrial production, significantly closing the time gap to market launch.”

The new site has created 30 technical and operational jobs and was itself built using extensive green technology, including an eco-friendly energy system that will save over 44,000 tonnes of CO2 over the next 30 years.

Europe embraces alternative proteins

Over the last year, several European countries have promoted a transition away from animal agriculture and towards alternative proteins for a more stable and equitable food system.

The Swiss government announced the launch of its new Climate Strategy for Agriculture and Food, outlining the benefits of reduced meat consumption nationwide, while Germany unveiled a USD $41 million (€38 million) investment in the promotion of plant-based proteins.

Meanwhile, Denmark has designed a comprehensive 40-page plan to shift towards plant-based food production, which the Minister for Food described as “the future.”

Planted has yet to announce exactly when its new fermented steak will be hitting the shelves, but you can keep an eye on the brand’s online shop here.

More like this:

• Jeff Bezos Just Pledged $60 Million To Improve Plant-Based Meats
• You Can Now Buy 3D Printed Plant-Based Octopus
• ‘World First’ Cat Food Made With Cultivated Chicken Is Here

The post Vegan Brand Launches ‘First-Of-Its-Kind’ Fermented Steak appeared first on Plant Based News.

The product is a collaboration between “pet” food specialists Omni and cultivated meat brand Meatly. This is Omni’s first venture into the cultivated space, as it previously sold purely plant-based food for cats and dogs. 

The 150g tins of cultivated chicken cat food will cost £1 each. They are not available to buy yet, and still need regulatory approval from the government before they arrive in shops. According to the brand, Pets at Home looks set to be its first stockist once approval is granted, which could be in the next three months. 

“It is incredibly exciting to see the first ever cans of cultivated pet food fly off the production line. This is a major milestone for cultivated meat globally and shows that we are ready to sell product,” said Owen Ensor, Co-founder and CEO of Meatly, in a statement. He added that “cultivated meat gives pet parents an easy choice – high quality, tasty, nutritious, and sustainable pet food.”

What is cultivated meat?

Cultivated meat, also known as cultured meat, lab-grown meat, or cell-based meat, is a form of meat produced by culturing animal cells in a controlled environment, without the need to raise and slaughter animals. It involves taking a small sample of animal cells and providing them with the necessary conditions to grow and multiply. These cells can differentiate into muscle and fat cells, mimicking the composition of traditional meat.

It’s important to note that cultivated meat is not vegan, however, as it is real animal meat that involves the use of an animal to some degree. The cells must usually be extracted from animals, meaning it still involves animal use in its production. 

According to Meatly, the cells to make the cat food were extracted from a chicken egg. The company also did not use fetal bovine serum or animal products in its production. Fetal bovine serum, which made from the blood of cow fetuses extracted from an animal during pregnancy, has traditionally been used in the cultivated meat industry to make the product grow effectively. Many companies are moving away from it, however.

Could cultivated meat end animal farming?

While vegans wouldn’t usually eat cultivated meat, it’s still widely supported by many following the lifestyle. This is because it could provide a viable way to move the world away from traditional animal agriculture, which slaughters trillions of individuals each year. Currently the cultivated meat market is in its early stages, only available at a select few places in the US and Singapore. If this new product were to gain approval, it would be the first cultivated meat product sold in Europe, and the first cultivated pet food on the market anywhere in the world.

Demand for pet food is growing, and Meatly says that 22 percent of the meat consumed in the UK is eaten by companion animals. Cultivated food could help many households reduce their contribution to the hugely unsustainable and unethical meat industry. 

There are also a wide range of plant-based pet food products already available, and studies have shown that well-planned vegan diets are both safe and healthy for cats and dogs. 

More like this:

• Cultured Meat To Be Served At US Restaurants Following Historic Sign-Off
• Cultured Meat Brand Aims To Spare 27 Million Animals After Raising Nearly $100M
• Jeff Bezos Just Pledged $60 Million To Improve Plant-Based Meats

The post ‘World First’ Cat Food Made With Cultivated Chicken Is Here appeared first on Plant Based News.

The Austrian brand, which was founded in 2020, has named the product “The Kraken.” It’s made from mycoprotein, and looks similar to meat made from octopus tentacles.

The ready-to-eat food, which can also be baked, fried, and grilled, is currently only available for a limited time. It will be sold exclusively on the Revo Foods ecommerce site, and it will also be shared with some of the company’s restaurant partners. Depending on consumer feedback, the product may be launched more permanently at a later date. 

Vegan “seafood” is one of the fastest growing plant-based markets. It saw a 326 percent growth between 2020 and 2023, and it’s been forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 28 percent, reaching USD $1.3 billion by 2031. 

The growing threat of octopus farming

Octopus meat is hugely popular in certain countries in Europe, particularly Spain, Italy, and Greece. The animal is also eaten widely in Japan, and there’s a growing market in the USA. 

Around 91 million octopuses are killed for food each year. Unlike many other marine animals, a growing number of whom are farmed, virtually all octopuses sold are caught from the ocean. Farming them has previously proved almost impossible due to their solitary nature and tendency to attack each other if kept together in tanks. Octopus farming is a growing threat, however, as a Spanish multinational company called Nueva Pescanova announced plans to build the world’s first commercial octopus farm in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, in 2021. The plans are yet to materialize into anything concrete, however. 

The announcement of the farm sent shockwaves around the world, and many environmental and animal rights groups have criticized the plans. Earlier this month, Washington became the first US state to outlaw octopus farming. While no octopuses are farmed there, it introduced the law preemptively to protect future octopuses.

Demand for octopus meat is growing, and plant-based versions like Revo Foods’ could help satisfy this demand without harming animals. The octopus product is just one of a long line of innovative vegan seafood products hitting the market, including calamari, shrimp, and even a 3D printed eel.

More like this:

• Beyond Meat Announces Major Recipe Shake-Up With ‘Healthier’ Ingredients
• Could The ‘Third Wave’ Of Vegan Cheese Move Flexitarians Off Dairy?
• Aldi Launches Biggest Ever Vegan Range – Including Pain Au Chocolat

The post You Can Now Buy 3D Printed Plant-Based Octopus appeared first on Plant Based News.

The billionaire Amazon founder established the Bezos Earth Fund in 2020 as part of a public commitment to tackle the ongoing climate crisis through philanthropy.

At the time, the Bezos Earth Fund pledged to distribute a total of $10 billion by the end of the decade via targeted grants and investments, with $1 billion going specifically toward food transformation. This new $60 million commitment is part of that initial pledge.

The investment will establish several Bezos Centers for Sustainable Protein focused on major technological barriers to the production of plant-based and cultivated meats, including reducing cost, increasing quality, and boosting nutritional content.

Bezos Earth Fund Vice Chair Lauren Sánchez made the announcement earlier this week, and highlighted an urgent need for innovation in making the global food system sustainable.

“We need to feed 10 billion people with healthy, sustainable food throughout this century while protecting our planet. We can do it, and it will require a ton of innovation,” said Sánchez. “Our world is poised for transformation, for a future not constrained by compromise. Solutions to our greatest challenges often come from the quiet persistence of those willing to question, reimagine, and innovate,” she added.

‘Our world is poised for transformation’

The planet is warming rapidly, and environmental experts predict that we are approaching the first of several critical tipping points that could spell environmental catastrophe.

Farming animals is responsible for around 16.5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). It’s also the leading cause of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. 

Swapping traditional meat for sustainable alternatives is an effective way to cut back on environmental damage, and regardless of lifestyle, more and more people are purchasing and eating plant-based proteins regularly.

Flexitarians and meat-eaters drive plant-based growth, even more than vegans and vegetarians, and experts predict that the plant-based meat market will surpass $14.27 billion by 2030, an increase of over 13 percent from 2023.

Governments are also embracing alternative proteins, and both Germany and Denmark have announced huge investments in the promotion and production of plant-based foods in order to shift away from animal agriculture towards more sustainable means of food production.

However, while animal agriculture is a leading cause of pollution and environmental harm, it isn’t the only one. A report by Oxfam America found that the richest one percent of the global population (including Bezos himself) are responsible for 16 percent of global consumption emissions. It also found that the richest 10 percent are responsible for half of all emissions.

According to the Guardian, Bezos’s new superyacht alone – the largest sailing vessel in the world – emits at least 7,154 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. (Americans average an already relatively high 20 tonnes per person compared to a global average of four tonnes.)

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The post Jeff Bezos Just Pledged $60 Million To Improve Plant-Based Meats appeared first on Plant Based News.

“We wanted packaging that lived up to and reflected the deliciousness of our products while really popping on the shelf,” said Peter McGuinness, president and CEO of Impossible Foods, in a press release. “We want to be inclusive to anyone who enjoys great food.”

According to Impossible, 90 percent of its customers are meat-eaters, which is in keeping with the brand’s aim to provide a competitive plant-based alternative to animal-derived meat – for everyone. Impossible’s products have long been stocked alongside animal proteins in the meat aisles of supermarkets in order to both normalize them and reach new customers.

While Impossible does not publicly release its sales figures, it has stated several times that it continues to increase its market share. In 2022, the brand reported further growth in the form of USD $137 million in overall sales and an increase of 50 percent in retail sales alone.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a vegan, a vegetarian, an animal meat-lover, or somewhere in between,” added McGuinness. “What we want to do is educate consumers that they can still enjoy meat by incorporating into their diet a version that’s made from plants.”

The power of color

The launch follows the publication of a study by ProVeg International which found that color made a big impact on whether consumers would try new products. Specifically, meat-eating participants were significantly more likely to experiment with unfamiliar plant-based items that came in red packaging, which they associated with good flavor.

ProVeg’s study, titled “The Power of Colour: Nudging Consumers Toward Plant-Based Meat Consumption,” noted that a significant 56 percent of UK consumers and 54 percent of US consumers associated the color red with “superior taste.” Overall, warm colors tend to “arouse and stimulate,” and red has previously been associated with sweetness.

ProVeg Project Coordinator Ajsa Spahic noted that the plant-based space is typically dominated by the color green, which can be used to convey sustainability and an association with environmentally friendly practices. However, those who typically do not buy plant-based items thought that red-packaged products “really thought this product would be tasty.”

‘Once they try us, they’ll be in’

Impossible’s updated red packaging will arrive at stores throughout the US over the coming weeks before expanding overseas later in the year. The brand’s new Beef Hot Dog – soft-launched in December 2023 – will be the first new item with updated packaging.

“We’re not just growing a brand, we’re growing an entire category,” said Chief Marketing & Creative Officer Leslie Sims. “For a long time, meat eaters didn’t see us as something for them. But our mission relies on attracting meat eaters, so we wanted to do what we could to be more inviting in our approach and messaging.

“We’re confident that once they try us, they’ll be in.”

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• Plant-Based Meat Companies Look To Use Real Animal Fat
• Beyond Meat Announces Major Recipe Shake-Up With ‘Healthier’ Ingredients
• Stop Using ‘Misleading’ Ultra-Processed Label, Says New Report

The post Impossible Foods Targets Meat-Eaters With New Red Branding appeared first on Plant Based News.

According to a report by The Washington Post, some companies are growing animal fat in laboratories to mix with plant-based burgers and bacon. Others are planning to source it from the meat industry. The idea, reports suggest, is to help broaden the appeal of plant-based meats to a wider audience.

Meat alternatives are already mostly eaten by non-vegans. In recent years, there has been an explosion of vegan meats in countries from Australia to South Africa.

Adding animal fat to plant-based meat?

Currently, the most commonly used fats in plant-based meats include coconut and vegetables oils.

Some companies think that taste and texture is putting off meat-loving consumers. According to research by meat giant Cargill, more than a quarter of meat-eaters said that taste and flavor are the prime reason they wouldn’t make the switch. Whether an animal-fat enhanced plant-based burger will help more meat-eaters transition away from meat, however, remains to be seen.

Vegan meat alive and well

If burgers containing animal fat do hit the market, they will not be suitable for vegans. But there are a wide range of vegan-friendly meat alternatives that have proved hugely popular with those on both meat and plant-based diets.

Vegan brand Beyond Meat will soon release a new update of its Beyond Burger. The company says it will be “meatier and juicier” than any previous version. Impossible Foods, which is known for its realistic burgers, stated in 2023 that it receives “record sales” year on year.

The Kraft Not Company recently announced the launch of the first ever Oscar Meyer plant-based hot dog. The company claimed that the vegan hot dog market had previously been “underdeveloped and underconsumed,” but that its new product (developed with AI) replicates the “smoky, savory taste, meaty color, and thick, juicy bite” of traditional hot dogs.

Plant-based meat takeover

Plant-based meat alternatives have surged in popularity in the past decade. As vegan alternatives have grown meatier, even committed meat-eaters are cutting back on their consumption of animal products.

Data released last years showed that people in the UK are consuming the lowest amount of meat since records began. With plant-based pulled beef, steak, and chicken breast now readily available in the UK, it’s never been easier for consumers to leave animal products off their plate.

Likewise, in the US, plant-based pork belly and chicken tenders have redefined expectations of vegan food. Half of all US restaurants now offer vegan options. Flexitarian consumers are swapping out animal products for more plant-based meals. Meanwhile, a small percentage of the population continues to consume an outsized proportion of the country’s meat.

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• Scientists Tell US Agriculture Secretary: Address Our Meat-Heavy Diets Now

The post Plant-Based Meat Companies Look To Use Real Animal Fat appeared first on Plant Based News.

The 141-year-old Chicago-based company, which is famous for its processed pig meat products, will be bringing the NotHotDogs and NotSausages to Expo West next week, before rolling them out to grocery stores nationwide later this year. They will be available in Bratwurst and Italian sausage flavors.

Oscar Mayer is owned by parent company Kraft Heinz, which last year announced the establishment The Kraft Heinz Not Company (in collaboration with Chilean plant-based food brand The Not Company).

“At The Kraft Heinz Not Company, our goal is to create mouthwatering, plant-based foods that are delicious and accessible for everyone – from the devoted vegan to the plant-based curious,” Lucho Lopez-May, CEO of The Kraft Heinz Not Company, said in a statement. “We know people are hungry for plant-based meat options from brands they know and trust. In launching the joint venture’s first product in the plant-based meat category, we saw an opportunity to satisfy these consumer cravings, leveraging NotCo’s revolutionary AI technology and the power, equity, and legacy of the Oscar Mayer brand.”

Kraft Heinz Not Company

The Kraft Heinz Not Company specializes in realistic vegan alternatives, including dairy-free cheese and mac and cheese. It uses AI technology – which it calls “The Giuseppe Platform” – to create its plant-based products. This uses machine learning and data to create the flavors, textures, and functionalities of the products.

Despite some highly publicized setbacks in the sector, the plant-based meat market remains strong. It’s predicted to reach USD $15.7 billion by 2027, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.7 percent.

The Kraft Heinz Not Company claims, however, that the plant-based hotdog category remains “underdeveloped and underconsumed,” due to disappointments with taste and flavor. The company says that this new launch replicates the “smoky, savory taste, meaty color, and thick, juicy bite” of traditional hot dogs.

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The post Kraft Heinz Not Company Unveils Oscar Mayer Plant-Based Hot Dog appeared first on Plant Based News.

The lawsuit claimed that the company’s “Revo Salmon – 100 percent plant-based with pea protein” might mislead customers into believing it contained traditional, animal-derived fish. Revo Foods denied the allegation, and the court rejected Vienna City Council’s claim.

“Our packaging declares that only 100 percent plant-based ingredients are used and clearly labels the products as vegan,” said Revo Foods CEO Dr Robin Simsa, in a release sent to Plant Based News. “Many consumers are specifically looking for these types of products, and it is important to give guidance of the product taste with descriptive names.”

Labeling restrictions show ‘distortion of competition’

According to Revo Foods, the case is the first of its kind brought against a plant-based seafood company, although complaints have been made about other, similar products such as oat milk and vegan sausages, particularly across mainland Europe.

The French government, for example, has banned 21 words like “steak” and “ham” that are traditionally associated with animal products from vegan foods made and sold in France. Meanwhile, the Polish government published a draft decree in December that could lead to similar restrictions nationwide, preceded by a similar bill by Italy the month before.

 “It seems that these naming regulations primarily affect plant-based products,” added Simsa. “A clear one-sidedness or distortion of competition is recognizable here.”

The debate over plant-based labels

Restrictions at a Europe-wide level have generally been unsuccessful so far, including the failed Amendment 171 which sought to ban general descriptive words like “creamy” along with “milk,” “butter,” “cheese,” and “yogurt.” But the overall debate continues, and generally centers around the idea that using these types of phrases on plant-based labels will mislead consumers.

In contrast, analysis actually suggests that removing familiar words from plant-based labels will decrease rather than increase transparency, and surveys report that European citizens overwhelmingly back the continued use of meaty and other comparable phrases on plant-based products.

Revo Foods, along with many other plant-based companies and environmental lobby groups, believe that legislative crackdowns on vegan and meat-free foods are revealing of the way governments prop up animal agriculture – despite its significant environmental impact and the increasing efficacy of alternative proteins.

“Meat and fish farms are heavily subsidized by the public sector through lower tax rates or by agricultural subsidies,” explained Simsa. “However, meat is by far the biggest climate driver in food production. Is this approach in line with the ‘European Green Deal,’ with which Europe wants to promote more environmental protection? We don’t think so.”

Vegan food is a ‘serious contender’ to animal products 

In contrast to France and Poland’s stance on plant-based labels, a Swiss court ruled in January last year that using “meaty” words did not mislead consumers, while Belgium is unlikely to introduce legislation ruling one way or the other in the immediate future.

In Germany, the government recently unveiled a huge $41 million USD (€38 million) investment in the promotion of plant-based foods and alternative proteins, and Denmark has announced a 40-page plan to shift towards plant-based food production.

Revo Foods believes that the court’s dismissal of Vienna City Council’s lawsuit is a “win for plant-based innovations in general.”

“The ongoing lawsuits against plant-based companies show that vegan products are already serious contenders to their animal-based counterparts in the food market,” says Simsa. “We will continue to challenge biased regulations that favor meat.”

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The businesswoman said she was “devastated” by the news, and that she had offered “every solution” that she “feasibly could” to keep it going. 

“Anyone that knows me well, knows the blood, sweat, and tears that my team and I have put into the business, for the sole purpose of furthering the plant-based movement,” Mills said in a statement. “VBites has been vehemently proud to be able to offer viable, tasty, and affordable plant-based food products both direct to consumer and in wholesale markets for all these years.”

VBites was established in 1993. It originally traded as the Redwood Wholefood Company, but its name was changed in 2013 to match the name of the restaurant Mills owned. It specializes in vegan meats and cheeses, sells 140 products, and operates in 28 countries. 

A call for ‘unity in the plant-based sector’

In her statement, Mills called for “unity in the plant-based sector” in the face of struggles faced by many vegan brands. After stating that the “plight of VBites is not an isolated case,” she went on to cite a number of reasons why she believes plant-based brands are struggling. 

One of these was misinformation from meat and dairy companies. She referenced the recent industry-funded “Got Milk?” adverts that a number of celebrities have been paid to promote. Some of these directly mocked vegan alternatives.

Mills also stated that “corporate greed in our market” is another issue that vegan meat brands are contending with. She claimed that certain plant-based brands had “suffered from events such as: unexpected investor pull-outs, factory closures, and unwanted management takeovers.” She said she has “many close friends and business owners in the sector” who have been “forced out of their companies.” Mills went on to describe Brexit as an “utter disaster” for the supply and maintenance of the sector. 

“As you can most likely tell this is a passionate topic for me,” Mills wrote. “And I am hopeful that as a unified force we can turn things around.”

The vegan meat market

This year, the mainstream media has been rife with headlines questioning and criticizing the vegan meat industry. A number of stories – including Beyond Meat’s revenue falling, Heck reducing its plant-based line, and Meatless Farm temporarily going into administration – have received huge media attention. Some publications have jumped on these pieces of news, using them as leverage to make statements like the “vegan bubble is bursting.” Such proclamations, however, have been questioned. 

Read about whether the plant-based meat market is really on the way out here.

While it’s true that vegan meat has experienced some setbacks, the vegan food market itself remains strong. According to a Straits Research forecast report, the UK vegan food market is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1 percent between 2023 and 2031. Vegan meat was cited as the highest contributor to this market. The market as a whole, therefore, is growing. As well as reasons listed by Mills above, the cost of living crisis and rising competition in the sector have also been attributed to the struggles of individual companies. 

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The study was conducted by the Social Market Foundation (SMF). It was funded by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). It involved interviews with 10 experts in the food sector. The report talks about different types of alternative proteins. It defines these as “analogues of conventional meat, dairy, seafood or egg products, produced using novel technology and/or production processes to avoid rearing live animals.” Quorn, which is made from mycoprotein, is an example.

The future market share of these alternative proteins is unclear. Estimates range from three percent to 70 percent, averaging at about a third. In any case, the report shows a significant potential for change in our diets. In Europe, the United Kingdom is one of the leading countries in buying and spending on these alternative protein products.

Do meat alternatives need improving?

The expansion of this industry depends on making these products better and more affordable, the study states. It also mentions that government policies could help by making it easier and faster to bring new products to market.

According to the Good Food Institute (GFI), significant investment is needed for the UK to compete with other countries in producing alternative proteins. The countries cited include the Netherlands and Denmark. The latter recently became the first country to unveil a roadmap towards plant-based food.

Previous research by the SMF found that 58 percent of people are trying to eat less meat. However, many are not satisfied with the current meat alternatives available.

Aveek Bhattacharya, Interim Director of SMF, said: “The potential benefits of alternative proteins are enormous – producing tasty, nutritious and cheap food, without the horrendous costs to animal welfare and to the planet that factory farming currently involves.

“Whether it can fully deliver on that promise remains uncertain, but that is almost always the case with exciting new technologies.”

Last year, a Food Standards Agency report discussed the growth in alternative protein products in the UK. These products include plant-based items designed to taste like meat, proteins from fermentation, and cultivated meat, which is also known as “cell-based” meat.

The rise of vegan meat

The report comes amid rapidly growing demand for vegan alternatives in the UK. According to a GFI report, plant-based food sales grew to £963.8 million in 2022, which was a nine percent growth from 2020.  

There are now a wide range of brands selling everything from vegan burgers to tuna in the UK. These can be found in mainstream supermarkets all over the country. 

This article was written with the help of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Learn more about how we use ethical and responsible artificial intelligence at Plant Based News.

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Like the rest of the brand’s products, the ham is made from legumes. They’re ground down to create vegetable flour and mixed with water. Heat, pressure, and humidity are then used to create the different textures. The “meats” are then marinated with Mediterranean ingredients. Its new ham is made from soy protein isolate, natural flavorings, salt, radish, carrot, paprika, and lemon concentrates, cultures, and vitamin B12. 

The Heura ham has 64 percent protein density with a low saturated fat content. Part of Heura’s reasoning behind making the ham was to create a product that would attract consumers who opt for processed deli-style ham, which is linked to chronic diseases such as bowel cancer. “As cold cuts dominate Europe’s animal meat consumption, our Heura Slices allow us to relish our favorite toasts, all the while tackling the critical issues of health and sustainability head-on,” cofounder of Heura Foods, Bernat Ananos, told PBN.

Additive-free vegan ham

It’s not a world first for plant-based cold cuts. But the brand is claiming it’s the first to be free of additives. With plant-based meats often considered to be too processed and not nutritional, the ham was created to provide a high nutrient density. “With the launch of our ‘York-Style’ ham slices, we’re giving options to consumers to break free from processed animal meat’s health concerns, in alignment with WHO’s recommendations. It’s a sizzling solution to the health emergency we’re facing,” Ananos said. 

Heura’s GRT tech specializes in precision and fine grinding. This combined with its patent-pending technology are described by Ananos as a “significant leap forward in the plant-based industry.” Ananos also added that the company’s “commitment to innovation and clean, high-quality ingredients is revolutionizing the future of food.”

Where can you buy the new Heura ham?

Currently, the product is available in Spain and France. Heura plans to make the plant-based ham available in other European countries in the coming months.

What is Heura Foods?

Heura Foods launched as a plant-based food brand in Barcelona in 2017. It’s since grown and branched out to have stores in Portugal, France, the UK, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, and Mexico, as well as other Spanish cities. There’s an online store, too. 

Heura’s products are made from legumes (lentils, peas, broad beans, chickpeas, soybeans, beans, and peanuts all count as legumes). With the brand wanting to create meat-free alternative products to processed deli meats. There was a focus on food activism, to create products that were healthier than other processed products offered. “At Heura, we’re not just making plant-based products; we’re pioneering a paradigm shift in food processing,” said Ananos. “Our cross-category patent-pending technology sets the stage for a new era of healthier, superior meat successors.”

The brand is known for its activism and campaigns against cruelty to animals. In 2021, it launched two new meat-free items (sausage and chorizo) at a Spanish bullfighting ring in an attempt to challenge the cruel tradition. 

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This will mean that most of the Vemondo range will be given a lower price. The products will also be located close to meat in-store, making it easier for consumers to select them as an alternative. 

“With the price adjustment of our Vemondo products, we want to invite customers more to try out the plant-based alternatives – without the price being the decisive criterion,” said Christoph Graf, Lidl Germany head of merchandising, in a statement. 

Vemondo features a range of vegan products, including mince, milk, yogurt, and ice cream. It was established in 2020 in response to growing demand for plant-based food. It can now be found in Lidl stores in a number of countries in the world. 

Lidl praised by plant-based groups

The move has been celebrated by Pro Veg, a food awareness group aiming to reduce meat consumption. “ProVeg welcomes this move by Lidl as it recognises how important plant-based foods are in tackling the climate crisis as well as supporting companies’ in their environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting,” said Jasmijn de Boo, CEO of ProVeg International, in a statement. “Price is a key lever in nudging people to transition to a more plant-based diet, particularly in times when household budgets are being squeezed. Lidl’s strategy will help the growing number of consumers who want to eat less meat to choose plant-based alternatives instead. 

Lidl embraces plant-based

This isn’t the first time Lidl has taken tangible steps to embrace plant-based living. In February 2023, the budget retailer announced that it would be reducing meat in its German stores. The decision was in line with its plan to dramatically increase its meat-free range. 

In a statement at the time, Graf said that “we need a more conscious diet all over the world to feed ourselves within our planetary limits.

He went on to add that there was “no alternative” to Lidl’s meat reduction as there is “no second planet.”

Animal agriculture is a hugely environmentally destructive industry. It’s responsible for at least 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and it’s also driving deforestation, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Experts from bodies like the UN and the University of Oxford have stated that we need to dramatically reduce meat consumption to help combat these issues. 

Plant-based eating in Germany

Lidl Germany’s move towards plant-based food comes amid rapidly increasing popularity of meat-free eating in the country. 

In June of this year, it was reported that meat eating had hit a record low in Germany. Government figures found that meat consumption dropped to 52kg per person in 2022, the lowest since calculations began in 1989. Five years previously, the amount had been 61kg.

It’s thought that around 10 percent of Germans follow a vegetarian diet. Over half (around 55 percent) of the population also identify as “flexitarian,” meaning they mostly avoid meat. 

Since Lidl made the announcement it had reduced vegan prices, another budget supermarket also made a similar move. Hypermarket Kaufland announced that it would be making more than 90 of its plant-based products a similar price to (or cheaper than) meat. 

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The study tracked 117,809 participants for almost a decade to examine the effect of plant-based protein on CKD incidence. 

In total, the researchers found some 3,745 cases of CKD (3.2 percent of participants), with those who ate higher amounts of plant-based protein experiencing lower rates of the disease.

The finding builds on previous studies that suggest a link between a plant-based diet and better health outcomes.

What is chronic kidney disease?

Chronic kidney disease is a long-term condition where the kidneys do not work as well as they should. It is estimated that CKD is present in one in ten adults.

Kidneys are critical organs, responsible for removing wastes and acid from the body. They also help to maintain a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals in the blood.

Symptoms of CKD include high blood pressure and cholesterol, both of which have been found to correlate with high meat consumption.

Vegan protein and kidney health

Previous studies have shown a correlation between a plant-based diet and better kidney health. Despite this, guidelines from global kidney health organisation, Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) do not explicitly address the connection between animal products and CKD.

The new research set out to make clearer the link between eating vegan proteins and improved kidney health.

By establishing a connection between eating more vegan proteins and lower rates of chronic kidney disease, the study could help healthcare professionals tailor their key messaging towards promoting a plant-based diet.

The power of plant-based protein

Studies have repeatedly found an association between animal proteins and a greater incidence of diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

In recent years, many health-conscious consumers have been swapping animal products for plant-based proteins such as chickpeas, lentils, and quinoa.

According to Seung Hyeok Han, co-author of the study, plant-based proteins have an array of benefits, including “lower acid load, reduced saturated fat content, rich fiber content, and antioxidant properties, among others.”

The benefits of healthier diets are clear for consumers and healthcare systems. With every new study that shows the health benefits of a plant-based diet, institutions and individuals have more evidence with which to make informed decisions.

What next?

The researchers suggest a need to conduct further studies on how eating more plants impacts people with CKD. This could allow more evidence to emerge about the protective benefits of plant-based protein.

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The post Eating More Vegan Protein May Reduce Risk Of Chronic Kidney Disease, Study Finds appeared first on Plant Based News.